1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the use of multivariate image analysis to detect defects on a production line producing a food product.
2. Description of Related Art
The chemical acrylamide has long been used in its polymer form in industrial applications for water treatment, enhanced oil recovery, papermaking, flocculants, thickeners, ore processing and permanent-press fabrics. Acrylamide precipitates as a white crystalline solid, is odorless, and is highly soluble in water (2155 g/L at 30° C.). Synonyms for acrylamide include 2-propenamide, ethylene carboxamide, acrylic acid amide, vinyl amide, and propenoic acid amide. Acrylamide has a molecular mass of 71.08, a melting point of 84.5° C., and a boiling point of 125° C. at 25 mmHg.
In recent times, a wide variety of foods have tested positive for the presence of acrylamide monomer. Acrylamide has especially been found primarily in carbohydrate food products that have been heated or processed at high temperatures. Examples of foods that have tested positive for acrylamide include coffee, cereals, cookies, potato chips, crackers, french-fried potatoes, breads and rolls, and fried breaded meats. Acrylamide has not been determined to be detrimental to humans, but its presence in food products, especially at elevated levels, is undesirable.
One way to reduce the formation of acrylamide is to thermally process food products to a higher moisture content. However, food products that contain too much moisture have poor organoleptical properties and are undesirable to consumers. It is the objective of the present invention to detect defects, particularly food products having a moisture content above a certain threshold, in a process producing a food product with a higher moisture content.